Method of oven-baking beans or the like in quantity



Oct. 10, 1944. H. T. LANNEN 2,360,062

METHOD OF OVEN- BAKING BEANS OR THE LIKE IN QUANTITY Filed Dec. 16, 1940 INVENTOR. 1749040 T LANNE/v A T TORNE Y8.

Patented Oct. 10, 1944 METHOD OF OVEN-BAKING BEANS OR THE LIKE. IN QUANTITY Harold T. Lannen, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to S & W Fine Foods, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,378

8 Claims.

My invention relates to baked beans, and more particularly to a method of oven-baking beans or the like in quantity for commercial sale in sealed containers.

Canned beans as supplied to the retail market are of two general types. One type is known as baked beans. In canning this type of beans, it is customary for the beans to be blanched, placed in a tin can with raw pork and syrup added. The tins are then sealed, and passed through a steam chest or a requisite amount of time to cook the beans, usually about 30 minutes. In this connection, the term syrup as used. herein includes water alone or combined with sugar, salt, spices, or flavoring, which in liquid form is suppliedto the cans or to the beans to form the liquid content of the product...

A second type of canned, beans presented to the retail trade is known as oven-baked beans, and the procedure of processing oven-baked beans is radically different from that of producing ordinary baked beans referred to first above.

Oven-baked beans are usually cooked in batches, in large pots or kettles, prior to being inserted in the can. After being sealed: in the cans they are given a sterilization treatment only, in a steam chest. The present invention has to do with a means and method of producing oven-baked beans in large quantities, as the problems which are thereby presented are altogether diiTerent than those encountered in cooking smaller quantities as in the home.

Among the objects of my invention are: To

provide a method of oven-baking beans in large quantities, with uniform processing of the beans, irrespective of their position in the container; to provide a uniform baking of the beans on the top and bottom of the batch; to provide a methd of uniformly distributing hot syrup through the entire mass of beans during the baking process; to provide a method whereby the consistency of the syrup content of the kettle is automatically maintained evenly throughout the bean mass during the baking cycle, and to provide an oven-baked bean product having uniform color, uniform taste and uniform glazing.

My invention possesses numerous other objects and features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of specific apparatus embodying and utilizing my novel method. It is therefore to be understood that my method is applicable to other apparatus, and that I do not limit myself, in any way, to the apparatus of provided with a central aperture 8.

' tle 6 is provided with a metal cover 12.

the present application, as I may adopt various other apparatus embodiments, utilizing the method, within the scope of the appended claims.

The drawing is a sectional View taken through a baking oven, together with its kettle and bean mass, showing the application of my method,

and the apparatus for applying it, to the ovenbaking of beans.

Referring directly to the drawing for a more detailed description of my invention, a brick oven is provided having upright side walls I, and a bottom 2 with a central aperture 3 therein. Immediately below the central aperture is a heating element 4, which may be a gas flame as shown, or an electrical heating element if desired, controlled by a thermostat system 5. Obviously the type of heating element is not important to the practice of my invention. Immediatelyover central aperture 3 and raised above it is a baffle 'l A kettle 6 is suspended over and just above bafile l, kettle flanges 9 resting on oven wall lugs Hi; The top of the oven is closed with an insulating cover I I, thus completing the oven structure. Bean ket- The bottom of the kettle 6 is provided with a central threaded aperture I4 in which is screwed an upright pin l5 having across pin I6 extending therethrough adjacent the top thereof. Surrounding aperture I4 and pin l5,,is a removable hell I! having edge apertures l8 therein adjacent the floor of the kettle. The bell, after contracting in size extends upwardly as a perforated cylinder 2!] coaxially positioned around pin. IS, the perforations being smaller than the dry beans. Adjacent the junction of cylinder 20 with bell I7, is positioned an interior shoulder 2| attached to cylinder 26 on which the. bottom of an imperforate cylinder 22 rests, this imperforate cylinder 22 also extending upwardly. At the level of the top of perforate cylinder 20 an outwardly extending cap 23 is attached to imperiorate cylinder 22, this cap covering the top of'perforate cylinder 20. Imperforate cylinder 22 then continues upwardly beyond cap 23 and terminates in a flange 24, immediately below cross-pin IS. A removable spreader plate 25 is provided having a central aperture 28, the edges of this aperture resting on cap 23. The periphery of plate 25 rests on lugs 21 extending from the interior of the kettle, and plate 25 is slightly concave'd upwardly. Thus when pin it is screwedin place cross-pin l6 contacts flangeZfi and holds the en tire central structure in place. Spreader plate 25 is also provided with a plurality of distribu this baking cycle.

,xFrom thevery beginning of the baking cycle tion apertures 28. This completes the description of the oven and'kettle structure, and I will now describe a typical baking cycle together with the operation of my invention during and after While Ido not Wish to be bound to the exact figures given here below, the procedure to be described has been utilized commercially in the production of oven-baked beans and have proved to be highly satisfactory, and to give avery satisfactory oven-baked product. For example, ketthe 6 maybe of the capacity of around 8 gallon's.

., bell l1 and perforate cylinder 20 in place and the juice remaining in the beans'then drains from the mass'of the beans through the aper- The kettle may be initially charged with 250 r. '1

pounds of clean, dry beans, and 30 gallons of syrup. This syrup will contain the seasoning and flavoring asmay be desired to produce the final..

The beans are then baked V repeated. r It should be noted that percolation is greattasterof the beans. 7 I about 1 /2 hours at 400, and for hour at 350,

absorbed a great deal of the initial syrup, 10

or 11 more gallons of a lighter syrup are added toothebeans, and the beans are then cooked 2 hours longerat 260. At this time ,10 to 11- more [gallons of syrup or Water are added in; accordance with the quality of beans being baked, and

. and at that time, the'beans havingswelled and the beans are baked 3 hours at 250, thus providing an 8 hour baking cycle, The action of the central structure of the kettle will next be described.

the central structure as above described acts as .a percolation device continually circulating hot syrup throughthe bean's. The action is as'fol- 1o:ws:'l' H 'I'he syrup'in the bottom of the kettle enters bell IT through holes [8, and due to steam pres- V sure-built up within the bell, this liquid is forced upwardly between central pin l5 and imperforate cylinder 22, until it spills over and is forced out of the top of the cylinder 22 at flange 24. Someof the liquid will land directly onspreader 'plate' 25, and another portion of; the liquid will hit cover l2. Either way the liquid is distributed ove'r-spreader plate 25 and passes downwardly,

1 through apertures 28 therein, and passes uniformly'through the bean mass until it reaches the v bottom. In this manner the bearls'yrup is coni 'tinuously passing through thebean mass, and

as a consequence thebeans at the :edge of the kettle arebaked no more and noless'than are the central' beans surrounding perforate cylinder 20. "Furthermore, due-to the fact'that the beans do 'not burn at the top surface, nor I do they dry out; The result of this continual perproduces equal cooking of the beans'in all portions of the large mass thereof, Qbut'also imparts to the beans a color which is ijuicegwhich is thickened and which is smaller j in liquid quantity than originally supplied to the beans. The kettle is then placed over a con tainer, cover I2 is removed, spreader plate 25 isiremoved and then pin I5 is unscrewed where upon imperforate cylinder 22 with its cap 23 may also be removed. -The weight of the beans holds "tures in perforate cylinder 20 and through lower apertures [8, out of hole 14 into the outside con- .tainer beneath the kettle." The drained'beans may then be fed into cans passing through a canning machine. Meantime the juice removed from the beans is diluted; in accordance with its consistency, and fed into the bean filled cans before capping. The cans are then capped and sealed and passed through the sterilizer to be labeled as true oven-baked beans. r Thekettleparts may then be cleaned, the percolatorstructure replaced and the baking cycle ly aided by the use of aperture 8 in baille 1, so

" that a'hot spot is provided in the bottom of the T kettle within the periphery of bell I1. This causes pressure tobe built up within the bell with consequent percolation. Such a hot spot, however,

cannot burn the beans as the extra heatis. ex- 7 pended directly against the juice alone and does not come into contact with the beans.

I also wish to point out that by the use or percolation as outlinedabove, I am able to thorthe juices that are already in the bean mass;

ito add liquidrwhich is of dififerent consistency 'ou hly the old. .7 7 V A top ofthe bean mass exposed to .the atmospherex the above ed ma ner I. have been 'of the' kettleis continuously-bathed in liquid, the

'colationandcirculation of'hot' syrup through the 1 beans, not only oughly and completely mix the liquids that may be added during the baking of the beans, with .-It is to be noted that in this regard I may. prefer than the syrup in the bean mass, and'that at least one addition of liquid may be in the form of plain Water. In an ordinary bean kettle without percolation, the addition of liquids having a e 1iquids-already= in the bean mass would require a thorough'stirring of the bean mass in order to obtain a proper mixture of thenew and old liquids. Such'stirring is not desirable, particularly in the last stages of the baking cycle, inasmuch are then relatively soft and any extensive stirring will be bound to bruise and break the beans with resultant reduction in quality- With the use of thelmeans and method outlined above, I

can add liquid directly to the top ofv the bean mass and. the circulation due to percolation .will thorand completely mix the new liquid with able to oven-bake beans or the like in large quantitles with completely uniform results, by the batch method.

h "l. The method of oven-baking beans which comprises placing a charge of: beans and liquid .in-a container in a heated oven, heating said oven 7 to a temperature 'suflicient to bake said charge and percolating said liquid substantially uni- 'formly through thereof. V

2. The method 'of oven-baking beans which comprises placing a charge of dry beans and liquid in a container in a heated oven, heating said oven to a temperature sufficient to bake said charge and percolating said liquid substantially uniformly through the beanmass during during the baking thereof.

3. The method of oven-baking beans which cornprisesplacing a Charge of dry beans and the bean mass during the baking liquid in a container in a heated oven, heating said oven to a temperature sufiicient to bake said as the beans and'eontrollable charge and percolating hot liquid from the bottom of the container downwardly substantially uniformly through the bean mass during the baking thereof.

4. The method of oven-baking beans which comprises placing a charge of dry beans and liquid in a container in a heated oven, heating said oven to a temperature sufficient to bake said charge and ercolating hot liquid from the bottom of the container downwardly substantially uniformly through the bean mass throughout the baking thereof.

5. The method of oven-baking beans and the like which comprises heating a mass of beans and syrup to a baking temperature in an oven, repeatedly circulating said syrup downwardly through said bean mass during boiling until a substantial portion of said syrup has been absorbed by said beans, adding a quantity of lighter syrup, and continuing the heating oi said beans at a lower temperature while maintaining said circulation.

6. The method of oven-baking beans which comprises placing a charge of dry beans and liquid in a container in a heated oten, heating said oven to a temperature sufficient to bake said charge, percolating hot liquid from the bottom of the container downwardly substantially uniformly through the bean mass, and supplying additional liquid to said charge in accordance with absorption of liquid by said beans during the baking thereof.

'7. The method of oven-baking beans which comprises baking a charge of beans and liquid at approximately 400 for a predetermined time, continuously circulating said liquid through said beans, supplying additional liquid to said beans at the end of said time in accordance with the absorption of liquid by said beans, baking said beans for an additional time While maintaining said liquid circulation.

8. The method of oven-baking beans which comprises baking a charge of beans and liquid at approximately 400 for a predetermined time,

. continuously circulating said liquid through said beans, supplying additional liquid to said beans at the end of said time in accordance with the absorption of liquid by said beans, baking said beans for an additional time at a lower temperature while maintaining said liquid circulation HAROLD T. LANNEN. 

